|
Tips for keeping it clean 1 - When you apply cleaning solutions, give them time to dissolve and suspend the grit and grime. Don't just spray and wipe right away. 2 - Keep white nylon scrub pads on hand. Scrub pads are color-coded, with the white ones the most gentle so that they can be used on fiberglass tubs, Formica and other surfaces. 3 - A slick surface is harder for grit and grime to settle and stick on. 4 - Read all labels carefully, even ones on products you've used before. Manufacturers often reformulate their products. 5 - Never mix chlorine products (bleach, mildew remover, tile cleaner, powdered cleaners) with automatic dishwasher detergent or ammonia products (glass, floor and appliance cleaners) or acid (toilet bowl cleaners); they give off hazardous gases. Tips from Cleaning Products for Pennies by Mary Chernesky and Judith A. Wakefield of the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service . |
|
Mildew Remover Mildew is a live fungus growth, not dirt. Mildew spores are in the air, so permanent control is impossible. Moisture control and disinfectants are your best means of control. Three disinfectant products kill and remove mildew: chlorine bleach, rubbing alcohol and trisodium phosphate. Commercial mildew removers contain trisodium phosphate (Spic and Span) and/or chlorine bleach but cost a lot more than the basic ingredients. (Trisodium phosphate can be found at most paint and hardware stores.) Rubbing alcohol is good for killing mildew on upholstered furniture, books, shoes, purses and luggage. |
|
Cleaning Drains Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar. Cover the drain for a few minutes while it sizzles and fizzles. Pour a quart or two of water down the drain to flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. This is safe to use with garbage disposals. Do not use this method after a commercial drain opener has been used or is still present in standing water. An alternative method: Pour 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 6 cups of boiling water. Let sit overnight, then flush with water. |
Old-fashioned, homemade cleaners
outshine store-bought competition
When it comes to '50s sitcoms,
maybe Father Knows Best; but Chris Procise says that when it
comes to cleaning, it's more like 'Granny knew best.'
"Everything she used for cleaning - vinegar, baking soda,
club soda, and ammonia - still work today," says Procise,
the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent for the University of
Florida - Martin County Cooperative Extension Service.
Granny made her own household cleaners because she had to - she
was keeping house before the latest "spray-and-wipe"
cleaners began glutting the grocery store aisles and the daytime
airwaves. Procise says there are still good reasons to stick
to her time-tested recipes: economics and the environment.
Simply put, making your own cleaners costs a lot less than buying
them off the shelf. For example: Rubbing alcohol costs about
2 cents an ounce, vinegar about 3 cents an ounce and commercial
window cleaner about 6 cents an ounce.
Old-fashioned, homemade cleaners also safer to both the user
and the environment than most store varieties, Procise said.
To make their products work faster and better, manufacturers
add some pretty serious chemicals to the basic ingredients Granny
used, Procise says.
"People get sick after cleaning the house and wonder why,"
she said. "Well, the reason is the chemicals (in the cleaning
products). Besides saving you money, what you're really saving
when you use (homemade) cleaners is your lungs. You're also keeping
all those chemicals from running off into the environment."
Because of the potentials for dangerous fumes, Procise says to
make sure that store-bought cleaners aren't stored in the same
cabinet as food.
"On the other hand, many of the products Granny used, including
vinegar and baking soda, are foods," Procise says, "so
you know they're safe."
With all those benefits to homemade cleaners, you figure there
has to be a down side. Well, there is.
"There is a little more physical labor, a little more elbow
grease involved in using Granny's cleaners," Procise admits.
"But what's a little more scrubbing when you can breathe
easier when you're done and save money in the process?"
More cleaning tips and information about homemade cleaners are
available by calling Chris Procise (772) 288-5656 or by
writing her care of the Martin County Cooperative Extension
Service, 2614 S.E. Dixie Highway, Stuart, FL 34996-4007.
Procise also is available to speak to community and civic groups.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Home Cookin':
How to make &
use do-it-yourself cleansers
Multipurpose Cleaner (for floors, woodwork, walls and cupboards)
Combine 1/2 cup ammonia and 1 cup washing soda in a 1-gallon plastic jug. Add a couple of cups of warm water, cover and shake to dissolve the washing soda. Then add enough water to fill the jug.
Use 1/2 cup of this mixture in a bucket of water for large jobs or use full-strength in a spray bottle for appliances and tile.
(If your hands are sensitive, use rubber gloves when working with any solution containing washing soda.)
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Remove waterline marks in the toilet bowl by pouring in 2 cups of white vinegar. Let soak overnight, then flush to rinse. If this doesn't do the job, rub the waterline mark with a wet pumice stone.
Fabric Softener
Unless you hang clothes out on a clothesline to dry, there's not much need to sue fabric softener. Much of the harshness of clothing is because of either hard water or detergent residue. (Overuse of fabric softener can make towels less absorbent.) If you do use fabric softener, don't use it every time you wash.
White vinegar makes a good fabric softener, especially in 100-percent polyester garments that can be stained by regular fabric softener. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse water when you do laundry. It will cut detergent residue and leave clothes smelling fresh.
Safe Scrubbing Powder
Plain baking soda makes a good, safe scouring powder for surfaces including Formica, Plexiglas and fiberglass. Just dampen a cloth or sponge, dip it in dry baking soda and scrub away. It won't scratch the surface but provides enough abrasion to dislodge grime.
Cleaning Painted Walls and Ceramic Tiles
Combine 1/2 cup of vinegar, 1
cup of clear ammonia, 1/4 cup of baking soda and a gallon of
water. Apply with a sponge, let soak a few minutes and rinse
with clear water. Caution: Wear rubber gloves and work in a well-ventilated
area when using this powerful solution.
Window Cleaners
Using a squeegee is the fastest and easiest way to clean large windows. Just a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent in a bucket of water is all you need, or try a home brew of 1/2 cup of vinegar or 1/3 cup of clear ammonia in a gallon of water.
If you prefer to wipe windows dry, polish them with a lint-free cloth or paper towels. Newspaper leaves an ink residue that dulls the shine of the glass.
For bathroom mirrors that have a film, use equal parts rubbing alcohol and water. Full-strength rubbing alcohol works well to clean the inside of car windshields. It cuts the film that can cause windshields to fog.
Treated Dust Rag
Place an old, but clean, cotton T-shirt in a glass jar, add 2 tbsps. of furniture polish, seal the jar and let it sit overnight.
The oil will spread throughout the cloth and be just enough to pick up dust without leaving an oily residue. Put the cloth back in the jar after each use. When it get dirty, wash it and repeat the oiling process.
Furniture Polish
For homemade furniture polish as good as any bought at the store, add 1/2 tsp. light olive oil to 1/4 cup white vinegar and enough water to fill a 1-quart container.
A standard recipe for a wood restorer is equal parts of boiled linseed oil (make sure it says "boiled" on the label), turpentine and white vinegar. shake well. Apply with a soft, clean cloth. Wipe completely dry and then wipe again with another clean cloth. Always wear rubber gloves and make sure the work area is well ventilated.
Mineral Deposits
Lime and calcium buildups from hard water can be softened by acids such as lemon juice or vinegar. Soak the area with the full-strength acid and let it sit. then scrub with a white, nylon scrub pad. Professionals use phosphoric acid mineral-scale removers, which are available at janitorial supply stores.
Prewash Stain Treatment Spray
Put equal parts liquid dishwashing soap, ammonia and water in a spray bottle. Spray on stain immediately before washing. Don't allow the solution to stay on clothes more than a minute or so.
